Last Updated on September 6, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN REPORT
ISLAMABAD: A fire inside the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has claimed the lives of 14 newborns (9 girls and 5 boys), as they lay in their incubators. Out of 15 infants in the ward, only one survived—saved not by hospital staff or rescue services, but by the quick actions of the child’s maternal aunt.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward at the capital’s largest medical facility. Official reports indicate the blaze broke out at approximately 7:00 AM, rapidly spreading through the nursery.
When rescue arrived, they found the hospital’s emergency exit doors locked. To reach the infants, rescuers had to break through corridor grilles and window glass. Nineteen adults and two children were safely taken out using a ladder.
A report of Capital Development Authority (CDA) said the rescue teams arrived at the scene at 7:01 PM, a mere six minutes after receiving the emergency alert. However, their progress was severely hindered by PIMS security personnel, causing critical delays. The doors and windows of the third-floor nursery were completely locked, forcing the CDA to break through a wall to gain entry.
A preliminary investigation by the PIMS administration suggests the fire began when a nebulizer next to an incubator exploded, causing medical oxygen to ignite. Sources state the disaster could have been prevented; the nebulizer initially emitted minor sparks that went unnoticed because no staff members were present in the ward to extinguish them.
Instead of receiving oxygen, the infants suffocated as thick smoke entered their airways through the medical piping. Grieving relatives confirmed that the doors and windows were locked shut and the room was completely unattended. As a result, several of the newborns died before the flames had even fully spread.
According to sources, the nebulizer initially emitted several sparks that could have been quickly extinguished. However, because the ward was left unattended, the sparks rapidly escalated into a devastating fire.
The mother of one of the infants, who was waiting outside the hospital, spoke to the media about the incident: “It is a gynae [gynecology] ward, yet there wasn’t a single gynae, nurse, or NICU doctor present. The only people there were parents running to save their own children and others, like us, trying to help. Aside from us, the ward was entirely deserted. It was an hour later when Dr. Ramsha and two NICU doctors finally ran up from downstairs. They must answer for why they locked the NICU and left.”
She continued, visibly distraught: “I ran to the NICU myself, and it was locked. I demand an answer as to why that door was locked. This fire was not an act of God; it was the result of intentional negligence. Not a single doctor was harmed—were only the babies meant to burn? I refuse to accept this.”
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting. Expressing profound anger over the incident, the Prime Minister directed authorities to take the strictest possible action against those responsible.
During the session, suspended Federal Secretary for Health Aslam Ghouri, ordering him to leave the meeting room. The Prime Minister extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent children who perished in the nursery fire. To ensure a thorough investigation, he constituted a high-level inquiry committee headed by former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan. The committee also includes Establishment Secretary Dr. Barrister Nabil Awan.
Reacting to the action taken by the Prime Minister, former secretary general of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Umar said: “The Prime Minister has sacked the Health Secretary, whose appointment was made five and a half months ago. Islamabad is run by the federal government—if accountability is to be enforced, then shouldn’t the one who has been Prime Minister for 4 years be sacked instead?”
وزیراعظم نے ہیلتھ سکرٹری جن کی تعیناتی ساڑھے 5 ماہ پہلے ہوئی تھی، اس کو فارغ کر دیا۔ اسلام آباد کو وفاقی حکومت چلاتی ہے، اگر احتساب کرنا ہے تو جو 4 سال سے وزیراعظم ہے اس کو نہیں فارغ کرنا چاہیے؟
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 26, 2026
Meanwhile, Senator Sherry Rehman strongly criticized the Islamabad administration and demanded immediate justice for the victims. “The fire at the PIMS public hospital has killed 14 children, and it is beyond shocking that mothers are left stating they have not even been allowed to see their children’s bodies,” she said.
“This is a deep stain of shame on the entire ministry and reflects a deep internal rot. Is this where citizens are sent to heal in the federal capital? We all witness the steady erosion of public services here, yet nothing is done despite repeated assurances in parliament. Nothing will ever compensate for these innocent lives lost. Justice must be delivered, going far beyond standard executive audits,” she added.
The inquiry committee established by the Prime Minister is tasked with determining the definitive cause of the fire and identifying the precise elements that accelerated its spread. Additionally, the panel will assess the adequacy and operational integrity of the hospital’s fire safety infrastructure, while conducting a thorough review of the emergency response times achieved during the rescue and firefighting operations.
